Extension attachment for vehicle jacks



April 14, 1959' w, T LUNA l EXTENSION ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLE JACKS Filed Feb. 14. 1955 Wil/fam 7.' Luna.,

INVENToR,

A from/5r United States PatentOce mm, m1 5,

EXTENSION ATTACHlVIENT FOR VEHICLE IACKS William T. Luna, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application February 14, 1955, Serial No. 487,810

1 Claim. (Cl. 254-133) The present invention relates to lifting-jacks, and more particularly to vertical-post jacks for lifting vehicles.

Many present day lifting-jacks of the vertical-post type have a single lateral projection or hook which is adapted to be placed beneath a vehicle bumper for lifting one corner of such vehicle. In many instances, for instance in switching tires from one wheel to another, it is necessary that more than one corner of a vehicle be simultaneously lifted. When jacks which have a single lifting hook or arm are used, a separate jack is required for each vehicle corner to be lifted, and a single jack cannot be safely used to lift one whole end of the vehicle. This is because the single weight lifting arm must be located in the exact center of the vehicle bumper, in order to balance the vehicle against lateral tilting. Even when a single arm lifting jack is properly located with relation to the bumper, it is dangerous for a person to work under the lifted vehicle because of the fact that his work may inadvertently tilt the vehicle and cause its displacement from the jack.

The principal object of the present invention, is to provide an attachment for vertical-post lifting-jacks which attachment will provide a laterally Wide weight support for the vehicle, thus eliminating the danger of lateral tilting.

Another object is to provide a jack attachment, or extension, which may be easily and quickly installed upon the jack and removed therefrom.

A further object is to provide an attachment of this class, which may be used upon substantially any type of vertical-post jacks, including screw-type, lever-actuated, and hydraulic.

Some automobiles are now so designed that a wheel cannot be removed from beneath the fender unless the vehicle body is lifted with relation to the wheel axle. 'I'his condition makes it almost mandatory that bumper jacks be used. When a jack is equipped with the extension of the present invention, it will serve the purpose of two of the conventional single arm lifting-jacks, and will do so with complete safety to the mechanic.

An additional object is to provide a lifting-jack attachment which is comparatively cheap to manufacture, and which is simple to operate.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet .of drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a rear perspective view of the attachment operatively installed upon a conventional jack in position to lift the rear end of a vehicle, the jack and a portion of the vehicle being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of the same;

Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the attachment;

Figure 4 is a front perspective view of the attachment; and,

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of the attachment.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those iigurcs of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 indicates a conventional vehicle body having a conventional horizontal bumper 2. The reference numeral 3 indicates, as a whole, a conventional lifting jack of the vertical-post type. In the present instance, the jack 3 is of the hydraulic type, having a base 4, a solid vertical post 5 rigidly supported thereon, and having a hollow cylindrical sleeve or piston housing 6 slidably mounted thereon, said housing having an axial bore and a tubate wall which has a working tit around the post 5. The housing 6 has a closed upper end 7, and this upper end is equipped with a pivoted pump-arm or handle 8, which is adapted to be manually swung upwardly and downwardly. -The end 7 is also equipped with a conventional air pump 9 which is operated through movement of the arm 8 to deliver compressed air into the housing 6 between its closed end 7 and the upper end of the solid post 5. Introduction of such compressed air causes the housing 6 to be lifted.

The housing 6 is further equipped with a rigid laterally projecting hook, arm, or carrier 10 which is ordinarily placed beneath the bumper 2 to engage thereunder and lift the vehicle body 1.

The attachment of the present invention is indicated, as a whole, by the reference numeral 20, and consists substantially of a horizontal beam 21, preferably made of angle iron, and having a rigid depending weight supporting hook 22 welded or otherwise rigidly attached to each end thereof. The hooks 22 project forwardly from the beam 21. The attachment 20 further includes an openended tubular sleeve 23 which is vertically disposed and which has a substantially semi-cylindrical upper edge portion thereof welded or otherwise rigidly secured in a substantially semi-circular recess formed in the top ange of the beam 21 midway between its ends. The lateral or depending flange of the beam is also welded to the outer surface of the sleeve 23.

In operation, the sleeve 23 is merely slipped over and around the upper end of the housing 6, and is permitted to descend until it engages the upper surface of the carrier 10 of the jack 3. Thereafter, the attachment is raised and lowered with the housing 6 and carrier 10. When using the jack, thus equipped, the two hooks 22 of the beam 21 are simultaneously engaged beneath the vehicle bumper 2, and since they engage the bumper in spaced relation to each other, all danger of tilting the vehicle while suspended by the jack is eliminated.

It is pointed out that even though the jack is equipped with the attachment 20, its carrier 10 may be used in a conventional manner, if desired.

Should it be required, in order to accommodate other types of lifting jacks, the element 23 may be made of any configuration necessary.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than l am limited by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is:

An extension attachment for vehicle bumper jacks having an upright post and a carrier slidable vertically thereon, said attachment comprising an open-ended tubular sleeve adapted to be removably and slidably positioned on a jack post in supporting engagement with the carrier thereon, a horizontal beam having a lateral ange and a top flange provided at its mid-point with a substantially semi-circular recess receiving a semi-cylindrical upper edge portion of said sleeve therein, the recessed edge of said top flange being complemental and rigidly secured to the semi-cylindrical upper edge portion of said sleeve,

means. seenring-said .lateral flange to the outer surface of said sleeve, said `sleeve being of substantially the same height as said horizontal beam, and a pair of vehicle bumper engaging hooks provided at the ends of said beam at xed equal distances from the sleeve, each` of said hooks including a vertical upper portion secured to and extending downwardly from the lateral flange of said beam, and an upturned bill provided at the lower end of vsaid vertical upper portion` References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

